Hi, YA Readers!
I’m standing in for Kelly while she’s taking some time off. I’ve written this newsletter in Kelly’s stead before, and it’s always been a good time. And today, I’ve got a fab bookmark, a couple deliciously extra paperbacks, and a few news stories for you.
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Bookish Goods
Reading is fundamental Bookmark by DeMussiDesigns
Because reading is what? FUNDAMENTAL! $4 for this essential bookmark.
New Releases
The theme of today’s paperback releases is “Lipsync for Your Life!”
I mean, the protagonists below aren’t literally lipsyncing for their lives, but they are fighting for their lives in competitions that are about as extra (and fun!) as Drag Race.
Also, I’m just in a Drag Race kinda mood today.
*A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin
This has such a unique magic system that goes so well with its bloody competition. In it, Ning is still gripped by guilt surrounding her mother’s death, and now, the same poison tea that killed her mother may also take her sister, Shu. The only way Ning can think to save her sister’s life is to enter the kingdom’s magical tea-brewing competition; but to win, she’ll have to contend with backstabbers, messy court politics, and handsome strangers.
Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis
This has a lot going on…in the way that we like, of course. Here, 17-year-old Ross Quest is a master thief prodigy, descended from a long line of thieves. Thing is, she just wants to live a normal teen life, free of the odd trappings of her heisting family. But then her mother’s life is threatened, and the only way for her to save her that she can see is to enter the Thieves’ Gambit, a dangerous international heisting competition. The plot thickens, of course, once we learn that among her competitors is a smooth-talking cutie…
Here’s the much larger roundup of paperback releases for spring.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
YA Book News
There hasn’t been too much going on, news-wise, in the world of YA. That is, except for censorship, of course.
- Cover Reveal: Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot
- There’s a new gothic romantasy on its way
- Apparently, Meta was discussing buying Simon & Schuster in order to train AI. heavy sigh
- I know I already linked to our censorship newsletter, but I also wanted to shine a light on this list of the most targeted books that the ALA compiled. Shocker, but many of them are YA and queer.
Thanks for reading, and of course, we’ll be back this weekend with some YA deals!
-Erica
